Corn-husker.



No. 7458,7196. PATENTBD APR. 26, 1904.

n. N. THOMAS,

CORN HUSKBR. v APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

Patented April 2e, 1904.-

PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT N. THOMAS, or sHnNANDoAH, IowA.

CORN-HUSKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 758,196, dated April 26, 1904.

Application filed June 2, 1903` Serial No. 159,770. (No model.)

To all' whom it may concern: Y

Be it known that I, ROBERT N. THOMAS,

a citizen of the United States, residing at' Shenandoah, in the county of Page and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Corn-Huskers, of which the following is a specification. v

My invention relates to corn-huskers, and

i especially to that type of hnskers which are employed in husking by hand, and has for its objects to produce a device of this character which will be simple in construction, eiiicient in operation, one in which the husking-plate will conform to and lit snugly the palm of the hand, and one in which the said plate is provided with a plurality of husk-engaging spurs or lingers which in practice will be firm and rigid, thus acting more effectively upon the husks for removing the same.

To these ends the invention comprises the novel details o f construction and combination of parts more fully hereinafter described.

In the accompanyingvdrawings, Figure 1 is aperspective view illustrating my improved device as applied to the hand. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device removed. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional elevation longitudinally through the plate. .Y

Referring to the drawings, l indicates a flexible member, composed ofleather or other suitable material, comprising a Wristband 2 and an integralflap 3, which in practice overlies the palm of the hand. To one end ofthe Wristband 2 I secure by rivets, eyelets, or the 'like a pair of straps 4: 4, which adjustably engage oppositely-disposed buckles 5 5, asso-Y ciated in any suitable manner with the other end of the Wristband for securing the latter around the wrist of the operator when the device is in use.

6 indicates a plate of any suitable metal which is secured by rivets or otherwise to the Y flap 3 and from which is struck up a pairof husk-engaging spurs or lingers 7, which curve upward and backward from the plate 6 and have their rear husk-engaging end s pointed or sharpened, as at 8, to permit them to readily enter and rend the husks. In this connection attention is directed to the fact that the spurs, being formed integral with the plate, will in practice be extremely iirm and rigid, thus obviating liability of them yielding or breaking under the strain due to tearing `f v'the husk away from. the ear. It is further to be noted that owing to providing the plate with a pair of the spurs a more securehold upon the husk is obtained, with a consequent increase in speed during the husking operationand a more thorough and positive removal of the hnsks.

9 isa strap secured to the outer end of the flap 3 between the same and the plate 6, said strap being attached to said parts by means of a pair of the rivets, which serve to secure the plate to the flap. This strap in practice is secured around the hand for attaching the husker thereto.

The inner end of the plate 6,which normally overlies the palm of the hand at the base of the thumb, is of cancavo-convex form, as shown more clearly in Fig. 3, and is in practice disposed with its concaved side adjacent to and itting snugly upon the curved surface of the palm at the base of the thumb. This curving of the plate to fit the palm not only renders the device more comfortable to the operator,but also to amaterial extent obviates slipping of the device relative to the hand while acting upon the husks, thus assisting the removal of the latter and preventing chafing of the hand of the user.

In practice the corn to be husked is grasped by the left hand, and the right hand, having ,my attachment applied thereto, is drawn downward longitudinally of the ear, which action causes Ythe spurs 7to engage and slit the husk and remove the same from and expose the ear, which latter is then grasped by the right hand and broken 0E from the husk as usual. In this connection attention is directed to the fact that when vmy device is applied to the hand of the operator the spurs v7 will occupy a position to permit free closing of the hand without the fingers coming in contact with the spurs, thus permitting ready grasping of the ear to remove the same from the husk, as above described.

From the foregoing it willA be seen that I produce a device which is simple of construction and one which will in practiceeliiciently TOO perform its functions, and it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise details herein shown, inasmuch as changes in the form, proportion, and manner of assemblage of the parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- A device of the class described comprising a flexible member consisting` of a wristband and an approximately centrally disposed integral flap projecting substantially at right angles therefrom to overlie the palm, a plate attached to the flap and having an integral husk-engaging spur struck up therefrom, said plate being of concavo convex form and ROBERT N. THOMAS.

Witnesses:

E. T. KAsTER, WV. D. JAMIEsoN. 

